Large-scale lateral nanowire arrays nanogenerators

Abstract

In a method of making a generating device, a plurality of spaced apart elongated seed members are deposited onto a surface of a flexible non-conductive substrate. An elongated conductive layer is applied to a top surface and a first side of each seed member, thereby leaving an exposed second side opposite the first side. A plurality of elongated piezoelectric nanostructures is grown laterally from the second side of each seed layer. A second conductive material is deposited onto the substrate adjacent each elongated first conductive layer so as to be coupled the distal end of each of the plurality of elongated piezoelectric nanostructures. The second conductive material is selected so as to form a Schottky barrier between the second conductive material and the distal end of each of the plurality of elongated piezoelectric nanostructures and so as to form an electrical contact with the first conductive layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of making a generator, comprising:
 a. depositing a first electrode layer onto a substrate; 
 b. depositing at least a first insulator layer onto the first electrode layer; 
 c. placing at least a first plurality of elongated frustoconically-shaped piezoelectric nanostructures onto the first insulator layer so that the piezoelectric nanostructures are oriented so as to have different lateral axes and so as to have a substantially common vertical axis; 
 d. depositing at least a second insulator layer onto the first plurality of elongated frustoconically-shaped piezoelectric nanostructures; and 
 e. depositing a second electrode layer above the second insulator layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a polymer film. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the polymer film comprises poly(4,4′-oxydiphenylene-pyromellitimide). 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer comprises a metal. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the frustoconically-shaped piezoelectric nanostructures comprise zinc oxide. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first insulator layer and the second insulator layer comprise poly(methyl methacrylate. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. placing a second plurality of elongated frustoconically-shaped piezoelectric nanostructures onto the second insulator layer so that the piezoelectric nanostructures are oriented so as to have different lateral axes and so as to have a substantially common vertical axis; and 
 b. depositing a third insulator layer onto the second plurality of elongated frustoconically-shaped piezoelectric nanostructures.